Illuminated sign



July 13 1926.

A. C. ARENDT ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed Nov. 13; 1925 lar WIW O w |43 PN O PN PatentedJuly 13, 14926.

ARTHUR C. ARENDT, 01" CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application led November 13, 1925.

rlhis invention relates to signs, particularly those which are used adjacent street intersections, and has for one of its objects the provision of a sign which functions as a warning' signal for traiic as well as for indicating the identity of the 'street adjacent auch intersection. To this end, my invention contemplates the provision of a sign which may be cheaply manufactured and quickly set up at the desired location, yet which will occupy very little space at the street intersection.

A further object of my invention is to make a sign which is readily accessible for inspection or repair, andwhich permits the. name plates to be i-nterchanged. in this way, the complete sign except for the name plates, may be made up,'and the desired plates may then be inserted. Thus, sign may be moved from one place to another without requiring the substitution of a. complete structure, or one plate'may be replaced by another without requiring the replacement of the entire sign in case any damage should occur to the sign during use.

The preferred means for carryingr out my invention is illustrated in the drawings, wherein F l is a side elevation of a sign embodyingvmy invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a portion of the with the cover raised from the casing; Fig. 3 is-a transverse section taken through the sign on a plane-indicated by the line 3-513 in Fig. l. V.F ig. t is a transverse section taken through the forward portion of the sign shown in Fig. l, and on a plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. l; Fig. is a perspective viewillustrating the means n for enabling the electrical connection to be made between the cover and base of the casing and Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram.

The sign made in accordance with my in vention is shown as a hollon7 upright housing l0, which is mounted on a standard il, the lower end of which is shown as being attached to a base 12. In practice the baseV is fastened to the ground, while the stand-A ard is .suiiiciently high to prevent the casing from being obscured by vehicles, which may be stationed along the curb near the street intersection at whichthesign is situated. The casing may be illuminated from the interior while the sides may be provided with name plates to suit the location ofthe sign.

In the preferred form, the casing comprises a hollow box-like member having a Serial No. 68,761.

base l5 to which corner posts 1G are attached. Light sheet metal plates 17 may be attached vto the corner plates by securing memoers i8 to malte a four sided casing which is preferably square in cross section. These plates have suitable indicia stamped therein through which light may shine in the usual way. Behind the plates, I insert trans lucent. members in the form of glass plates shown at 19. The translucent members may held in position by guides 2O which are shown as angle pieces and as being attached to vthe inner sides of the plates i7. The 'translucent member-s may be thus slid verti ally into position from the top of the casino' when the cover is removed.

io illuminate the sign I have shown an electric lamp which is mounted on the base l5 and another lamp 3l which is carried by the cover 32. These lamps may be arranged in multiple as shown in Fig. S, wherein a source of supply is indicated at 35, anda thermostatic switch in circuit with the lamp is shown at 37. This switch illustrated in Fig. 3 is preferably mounted adjacent the bottom of the easing and is so made that Anormally the thermostatic switch is closed. If the main switch to the circuit is also closed, then the passage of current through the thermostatic heats up such member and gradually opens the switch. The switch then remains open till the thermostat has cooled sufiiciently to make another connection. In this way the lamps are illuminated intermittently and the degrec of such intermittent operation may be satisfactorily controlled by the adjustment of the thermostatic member. l am not concerned in this application, however, with the details of construction ot the thermostatic member.

To permit removal of the cover and at the same time to provide adequate electrical connections for the lamp which is carried thereby, I have shown conductors d() which are carried adjacent two of the posts lt withinAt-he casing, and which extend from top to bottom thereof. The upper and lower ends of the conductors are arranged to form electrical connections with the socket inembers Lil and 42 respectively, when the sign is assembled as a compl-ete unit. The connection at the top and bottom of the conductors therefore enables one toremove the cover and with it the associated.. lamp to permit inspection of the sign or replacement tlf) of the lamp. lhen the cover is replaced an electrical connection is automatically made between `the conductors 40 and the socket members 4l whereby an electrical circuit through the lamps 30 and 3l is completed.

The particular advantage of a sign made in accordance with my invention is the fact that the name plates may be readily interchanged to suit varying` conditions, and that the sign as a. whole may be inexpensively constructed and quickly set up for use. Moreover the intermittent operation ot the lamps attracts the attention ot an observer and maltes the sign adapted for use as a warning or stop signal.

l claim 1- l. n illuminated sign comprising in combination, means tor supporting' the casing, casing, said casing having a base, sides and cover there being,` two lamps within the casing, one mounted. on the base and the other on the cover, a common source of electric-il supply for said lamps and means for automatically effect-ing an elect 'ical connection between said lamps whenever the cover placed in operative position upon the casing;

i2. An illuminated sign comprising in combination, a standard, a casing carried thereby, said casing` having a base, side. walls and cover, electrical conductors extending through the standard and into the casing', an electric lamp mounted upon the base within the casing', another lamp mounted upon the cover within the casing, and means carried by the casing and providing a separable con nection with the base and the cover respectively for completing an electrical circuit between the conductors and lamps.

8. An illuminated sign comprising in combination, a casing', a support therefor, said casing` having a base, side walls and a cover, the cover being` removable, said side walls comprising interchangeable sheet metal plates, some of said plates having' indicia stamped therein, translucent members behind said plates, a lamp within the casino@ said lamp being mounted upon the cover and being," removable therewith as a unit, electrical conductors within said casing and means Jfor automatically el'lecting an electrical connection between said lamp and conductors whenrverfsaid cover is placed in operativ-e position upon the casing.

at. :in illuminated sign comprising in combination, a casing, a support therefor, said casing' having a base and yfour corner posts spaced substantially equi-distantly trom each other, said plates having indicia stamped therein and mounted on the corner posts, .said plates being interchangeable, a cover mounted on the corner posts, a lamp mounted within the casing upon said base, a second lamp mounted within the casing upon said cover, electrical conductors extending alongside two ot' the posts, there being` separable connections between said conductors and said cover. whereby the cover may be removed with the associated lamp as a unit from the casing and there being other separable connections between the conductors and the base wherebythe casing may be removed as a unit from the base.

Au illuminated sign comprising in combination, a casing', a standard therefor, said casing comprisinga hollow boX-lilte member mounted endvfise on the standard, there beingl two lani s within said casing, a removable cover iJ c-unt'ed on the top of the casing` and providing` a. support for one of said lamps, the other of said lamps being mounted adjacent the opposite end ot' the casing, said lamps being' connected to a common source o't' electrical supply, means t'or intermittently actuating said lamps, andl a slip connection in circuit with said lamps for enabling the cover, together with the associated lamp, to be. removed as a unit from the casing.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

A RTHUR C. ARENDT. 

